School-Age Programs

We love music, and we love helping students learn and explore the beauty of music, too. Students in grades 3-8 have a variety of educational opportunities, including in-class programs and opportunities to experience the Oklahoma City Philharmonic in concert. For more information about any of our School Programs, contact Taylor Vogel, Education Coordinator, at taylor@okcphil.org or 405-232-7575.

Youth Concerts

Attend a free Oklahoma City Philharmonic concert designed just for young students at the Civic Center Music Hall. These 45-minute, school-day concerts highlight the sights and sounds of the symphony orchestra under the direction of guest conductor, Matthew Troy. We welcome students in grades 3-5 and beginning orchestra, band, and choir students to attend. In addition to admittance to the concert, teachers who register will receive digital access to a teacher guide and music selections from the concert for study.

Concert seating is reserved on a first-come, first-served basis.

Open registration for our 2020-2021 Youth Concerts will be available here on our website from 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 25, 2020 until 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, September 2, 2020.

*Please note, in order for our programs to serve as many students as possible, those students participating in Link Up may NOT participate in our Youth Concerts. (Example: Students in grade 3 may attend the Youth Concert. Students in grades 4 and 5 may attend Link Up.)

Link Up

Through a partnership with Carnegie Hall, students in grades 3-5 have the opportunity to attend a free day-time concert by the Oklahoma City Philharmonic with a special twist. Throughout the year, teachers work with students to learn pre-selected pieces of music on recorder, violin, or voice. At the concert, students perform these rehearsed pieces along with the orchestra from their seats in the audience, resulting in a fun and memorable music-making experience!

Open registration for our 2020-2021 Link Up program will be available here on our website from 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 25, 2020 until 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, September 2, 2020.

*Please note, in order for our programs to serve as many students as possible, those students participating in Link Up may NOT participate in our Youth Concerts. (Example: Students in grade 3 may attend the Youth Concert. Students in grades 4 and 5 may attend Link Up.)

Sound Images

Music and art have inspired generations of creative people. A partnership between the Oklahoma City Orchestra League, Oklahoma City Philharmonic, and Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Sound Images guides students in grades 3-8 to the path of creative expression through art as inspired by orchestral music. At the program’s conclusion, selected pieces of student artwork created according to program guidelines, are submitted to the OKCPHIL for the Sound Images art competition. Winners of the art competition have their works displayed at the Civic Center Music Hall and/or the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. Sound Images welcomes participation from Oklahoma City and surrounding area public/private schools, home schools, after-school programs, and community children’s programs.

Open registration for our 2020-2021 Sound Images program will be available here on our website from 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 25, 2020 until 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, September 2, 2020.

Note: The Oklahoma City Museum of Art provides free admission plus travel and substitute teacher reimbursement for all Oklahoma K-12 students and their chaperones (up to 2 per 15 students) who book a tour. This is a great opportunity to experience art and see the winners of the Sound Images competition if timed correctly. Learn more about student tours on the Oklahoma City Museum of Art website.

We’ve Got Rhythm

This award-winning, three-part program for THIRD GRADE serves as an introduction to the orchestra. Participating students from around the Oklahoma City metro will enjoy two classroom visits and a trip to the Civic Center for a performance by the Philharmonic. Each participating teacher receives access to student workbooks and a teacher guide to prepare their students for each component and track their learning progress. Visit components may be scheduled in any order throughout the current school year. This program has a limited capacity and accepts registrations on a first-come, first-serve basis. Additional schools will be added to a waitlist for the current school year.

WGR Component #1 – A Hands-On, in-school visit with our Instrument Playground allows students to see, touch, and play instruments from each family of the orchestra. A docent from the OKC Orchestra League will accompany to talk about each instrument family and the important role that each family plays in an orchestra.

WGR Component #2 – A Philharmonic ensemble performs a mini-concert in-school for students. The musicians talk about their instruments and discuss the elements of music, including melody, harmony and rhythm.

WGR Component #3 – The participating 3rd graders join hundreds of other children for the OKC Philharmonic’s annual YOUTH CONCERTS at the Civic Center, which is a culmination of everything the students have learned from the past two components.

Open registration for our 2020-2021 We’ve Got Rhythm program will be available here on our website from 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 25, 2020 until 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, September 2, 2020.